The Broncs senior boys’ basketball team was on fire last week as they soundly defeated the Wetaskiwin Sabres.
The win has put them in a positive spot for playoffs with a record of 7-3. The Ponoka Composite High School Broncs know they face strong competition at zones and head coach Blaine Haines feels the players must play a strong 40 minutes to win a game. “For the first time in years we’ve got multiple weapons.”
Some players are strong guards and others are able to drive the lane to score two points. The best way for his team to do well is to apply pressure to their opponents. That is one of the tools the better teams have used and he believes the Broncs best applied that pressure on the Sabres Feb. 19 when they won 81-62.
“We’ve got a lot of guys starting to put the ball in the hoops,” he added.
The biggest challenge they face is consistency in a 40-minute game. Haines has reminded them to play strong for each quarter, which will bring them wins.
Despite the challenge, the Broncs have learned some valuable lessons about teamwork and have become unselfish about personal records.
“I think we started off with players worried about personal statistics,” explained Haines. “The other night was a classic example of what working hard together can do.”
Only one team can represent their zone so the Broncs have to win the playoffs to move forward and Haines knows the competition well. Wetaskiwin is first in the league and has home court advantage and the next few weeks will decide the fate of the Broncs.
“Anything can happen in the playoffs. Especially if we get hot at the right time,” he stated.
Co-captains Chandler McLaren and Douglas Wilton have been working with their team to keep a strong focus on the tasks at hand. McLaren feels positive team chemistry has made them stronger. “We just bond a lot.”
Each player brings something to the team and they will change the players’ lineup to find the best combination at different games. With only three players graduating this year the team has strong potential; the seniors work with their younger counterparts and remind them they can win with hard work.
Wilton feels they have been building toward the playoffs all year. Playing against tougher teams at tournaments has also made them stronger.
Their game against the Sabres was one example of that strength as the Broncs were ahead only by one point at halftime. “We came back at them hard in the third.”
The Broncs also try to stick together as a team and will go out for dinner together before many of their home games. Players will give each other rides to school and try and get to know one another. That unity has helped them during games.
“If a player is doing well, we’ll pass more to him,” added Wilton.
He is proud of their sportsmanship this year. “We’re in a good position right now at the end of the year…We gotta keep trying our hardest.”
The three players who graduate this year are Kenton Rodney and co-captains Wilton and McLaren.